Japan launches MMX mission to collect samples from Phobos

Japan's space agency JAXA launched its Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) spacecraft aboard an H3 rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center, marking the beginning of an ambitious mission to study Phobos, one of the two moons orbiting Mars. The spacecraft will attempt to collect at least 10 grams of surface material from the moon and return it to Earth in 2031, which would make it the first mission ever to bring back samples from the Martian system.

This mission reflects Japan's growing expertise in planetary sample collection. The country has previously achieved success through its Hayabusa programme, which returned samples from asteroids to Earth. Scientists believe that material from Phobos could resolve a long-standing scientific debate: whether the moon is a captured asteroid or consists of debris ejected from Mars following a giant impact billions of years ago. The analysis of these samples may provide valuable insights into the early formation and history of the solar system, offering researchers a better understanding of how planets and their moons developed.

JAXA's MMX mission represents an important contribution to international efforts to understand the composition and origin of objects in the inner solar system. By studying material directly from Phobos, scientists hope to gain new perspectives on planetary evolution and the processes that shaped our corner of the universe.